Mineral manager resigns after eight months

Doug Polen resigned from his position as manager of the Town of Mineral on Friday, March 15, after just eight months on the job, to become city administrator in Lenox, Iowa.

His resignation, effective March 29, was accepted by town council members, who agreed by e-mail vote that he should turn in his keys sooner. Mayor Pam Harlowe said that he will be paid through the effective resignation date.

Polen’s “official” resignation was e-mailed to all council members, with a cover note, and a second communication was sent to some council members citing issues that he has with the council’s mayor and vice mayor.

“To those of you on council who have been supportive of my endeavors to manage this town, I offer my heartfelt thanks,” Polen wrote. “To the ladies on the council who have not, I only ask that you treat my successor with respect, kindness, humility and grace. Let the town manager manage, or you will be hiring another one next year.”

In the second e-mail, Polen claimed that he has felt disrespected, demeaned and lied to by the council’s leadership, and expressed hope that behavioral changes would take place for his successor.

“Mineral is a fine town with great citizens and a hardworking staff deserving of quality leadership and grand vision, not petty squabbling and micromanaging,” he wrote.

Polen cites several examples in basing his claims, including comments that he said called into question his ability to manage.

The “straw that broke the camel’s back,” according to Polen, was an e-mail that he claims to have received from Wilson-Kube on Friday, March 8, while he was at home and ill.

According to Polen, that Friday, Wilson-Kube sent an e-mail to his personal account stating that “other than death, you should have been there today and since Tuesday. You do not appreciate your job.”

To read the entire story, see the March 21 edition of The Central Virginian.